Jude Bellingham is already far along the path to becoming the best midfielder in the world. The game seems to be his plaything at the age of 20. His ascent has been so seamless that the future development appears certain, which will, as you could guess, be to England’s immeasurable advantage.
And that is assuming that a player has their feet firmly planted and their head screwed on. If not, the pauses could develop into something much worse.
A warning flare that was instructive came from a player whose career is winding down in a miserable mess but who was once the best midfielder in the world as Bellingham was being showered in plaudits for his performance against Scotland this week.
Even though it is difficult to claim of a World Cup champion that they wasted the chance that was given to them, Paul Pogba gets close.The story of his slide, which began practically as soon as he achieved his athletic Everest, is sealed by his failed drug test.
After leading France to victory in 2018 and winning the world over, the charismatic footballer is left sorting through the ruins of what happened afterwards.
The descent from achieving glory in the championship game to Manchester United’s dominance and Juventus’ humiliation has been a clattering one.
In contrast to a game of two halves, Pogba’s career has been divided into two half.Ironically, Pogba did not even participate in the match last month where he tested positive for testosterone. He did not play for Juventus against Udinese as a substitute.
Over the past couple of years, Pogba has become an expert at not playing.
Due to the knee injury that held him out of France’s World Cup run in Qatar, his return to Juventus last season after running out his United contract during an increasingly contentious finish to his stay at Old Trafford resulted in just one start.
He was forced to leave his one start against Cremonese due to a thigh injury.The 30-year-old has made just two substitute appearances so far this year.
If Pogba receives the same four-year suspension handed down to Romanian tennis player Simona Halep this week, his 28 minutes against bottom-of-the-table Empoli on September 3 may be his final appearance on a football field.
What a tragic way to go for a player with such a diverse range of physical and technical abilities.
He won four Serie A championships and advanced to the Champions League final during his first stint at Juventus.
In his debut season, he won the Europa League and the League Cup, making him the most expensive player in the world thanks to his £89 million transfer to United.
But while he lived in the north-west, it became increasingly apparent that Pogba the player was being replaced by Pogba the brand. Image was taking the place of substance.
The first player to receive his own emoji seems to no longer prioritize the football field with all of his marketing endeavors.
Jose Mourinho called him a virus as United’s frustration with him mounted, so everyone was relieved when he finally left for Turin.
SS Juventus FC vs. Empoli FC – Serie A TIM
Formerly the most sought-after midfielder in all of football, Paul Pogba (Image: Getty)Juve won’t likely worry too much if Pogba Mk 2 never laced up his boots for them again after discovering the problems with him for themselves.
Although Pogba ultimately has responsibility for his own life, it is simple to criticize him for wasting his skill. However, no athlete is an island.
It becomes obvious how untrustworthy the support system was surrounding him when someone’s own brother is charged over a conspiracy to extort £11 million from him.
Bellingham has the advantage of significantly more sturdy foundations. He has moved from Birmingham City to Dortmund and then to Real Madrid, making significant professional decisions that have all been well-considered.
It is foolish to believe that his road will be free of potholes. He will face difficulties.
However, as the Pogba instance demonstrates, how a superstar-in-the-making like Bellingham handles success could be just as crucial as how he handles defeat.